Shri S. Damodaran
Shri S. Damodaran receives a Padma Shri award from President Kovind for his social work. Since the 1980s up till the Swachh Bharat Mission Effort in 2014, he has participated in every government programme aimed at absolute sanitation.
Who is Shri S.Damodaran?
S.Damodaran born March 12, 1962, is the founder of the Tiruchirappalli-based NGO Gramalaya. When Gramalaya was first founded in 1987, its primary goal was to help rural residents improve their economic situation. Later, the NGO changed its attention to water and sanitation after discovering that these issues are more urgent and immediate than the lack of access to clean drinking water and restrooms. Gramalaya provides environmentally friendly restrooms in an effort to reduce open defecation. Today,
Gramalaya serves as a significant hub for resources for the Indian government’s Ministry of Jalshakti. The government, donors, and corporate groups have all supported the NGO’s operations through CSR programmes. The Thandavampatti hamlet in Tiruchy became the first open-defecation-free village in India in 2003 because of Gramalaya’s efforts.
